Route 84 House Fire: Three Miles from Train Tracks, Nine From a Hydrant by Jessie Salsbury

**To perform or request please press Inquire About Rights** (10 Minute Play) A State Fire Marshal interviews a Young Girl who is the only survivor of a farmhouse fire that has presumably killed the rest of her family. However, there are no bodies, little clues, and misleading evidence. The State Fire Marshal works to unwind the Young Girl's haunting and poetic past narratives of her entire life on the farm...
**To perform or request please press Inquire About Rights** (10 Minute Play) A State Fire Marshal interviews a Young Girl who is the only survivor of a farmhouse fire that has presumably killed the rest of her family. However, there are no bodies, little clues, and misleading evidence. The State Fire Marshal works to unwind the Young Girl's haunting and poetic past narratives of her entire life on the farm, while drawing her into the present to solve the origin of the house fire on Route 84.

(Acceptable alternative short title: Route 84 House Fire)
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Route 84 House Fire: Three Miles from Train Tracks, Nine From a Hydrant

Recommended by

  • John Bavoso:
    2 Oct. 2019
    “ An eerie piece that builds in mystery and dread, Route 84 is a masterclass in distillation and economy of language. Salsbury wastes no time getting us into the story, and she trusts her audience to get on board or be left behind. Easy to produce and perfect for this time of year, this play would be a chilling addition to any horror play festival! ”
  • Lainie Vansant:
    18 Feb. 2019
    “ Salsbury's haunting tale calls its audience out on its complacency and gives its young heroine incredible agency. It is poetry meeting reality, waiting for a final compromise. ”
  • Rachael Carnes:
    22 Jan. 2019
    “ Salsbury's work in this play is so taut, so economizing. One thing I notice throughout her plays, is this incredibly well-developed sense of place. We are right there, though we might not want to be. This is the kind of play that cages the audience. Brings you in close, and holds you tight. Now that I'm done reading, I might start breathing again. ”
View all 16 recommendations

Character Information

CHARACTERS (2)
TEENAGE GIRL (Caucasian/White) - reads somewhere between 15-20
STATE FIRE MARSHAL (FEMALE) (Caucasian/White) - reads somewhere between 40-50

  • Teenage Girl
    15-25,
    White
    ,
    Cis Female or Gender Queer or Trans
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • State Fire Marshal
    40-60,
    White
    ,
    Cis Female or Gender Queer or Trans
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s, 60s, 70s+
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      White
    • Gender: 
      Female

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    Midwest Dramatist Center Conference
    ,
    2017

Production History

  • Community Theater
    ,
    Kansas City Horror Play Festival - SqueezeBox Theatre and Erica Baker Production (Under Short title 'Route 84 House Fire')
    ,
    2018
  • University
    ,
    Bates College, Lewiston, ME
    ,
    2018
  • Community Theater
    ,
    Barn Players 6x10 (under short title 'Route 84 House Fire')
    ,
    2017
  • Community Theater
    ,
    Out Loud! Highlights from the Midwest Dramatists Conference - Phoenix KC Theatre as part of J.O.B.’s educational program
    ,
    2017

Awards

Semi-Finalist
,
WildClaw Theatre Deathscribe 11 (Radio Play version)
,
WildClaw Theatre
,
2018